Sunil Gangopadhyay was born on 7th September 1934 in Aamgram Village in Faridpur district, (current day Bangladesh) to Kalipada and Mira Gangopadhyay. His early childhood was spent between rural Bangladesh and Kolkata, where Kalipada was employed as a schoolteacher. He permanently moved to Kolkata at an early age but continued to spend his young life between Grey Street in Kolkata, and Maijpara, the ancestral home of his father.
His early schooling was at the Town School, with a stint at Birmohan Bidalyay in Maijpara during the second World War. His subsequent education, with a degree in Economics was from Dumdum Motijheel College, and City College, Kolkata and a Master of Arts in Bengali, from the Calcutta University system.
Sunil had three siblings – brothers Anil and Ashok, and a sister Kanika, all younger than him. He married Swati Banerjee on 26 February 1967. They have one child, Shouvik who is married to Chandreyee Lahiri. Sunil has one grandson - Oyon Ganguli.
Sunil Gangopadhyay passed away at 2:05 am on 23 October 2012 at Parijat, his South Kolkata residence. That day, Bengali literature lost one of it’s finest, a poet, novelist, short story writer, children’s writer, essayist, critic and journalist.
Literary Career
Sunil’s self proclaimed first love was always poetry and although he was widely admired as a poet, his career was defined more by his novels. He was a prolific writer who has authored well over 250 books. He has written in many genres such as children's fiction, short stories, travelogues, essays and critiques. works He is regarded as one of the most prolific and popular writers in Bengali since Rabindranath Tagore
As a poet, he was a leading part of a new generation of poets experimenting with form and themes. In 1953, he along with compatriots Deepak Majumdar and Ananda Bagchi founded the Bengali poetry magazine Krittibas which became a defining standard of poetry over decades.
His lucid style of prose was immensely popular. His most famous novels involved stories woven through the history of Bengal and are deeply researched, featuring many historical characters as part of the narrative. These novels – Sei Somoy, Pratham Alo and Purba Paschim - are widely read even today.
His creation Kakababu, is one of the foremost figures of Bengali children’s literature. There are 37 Kakababu novels, of which many have been adapted to movies, telefilms, and television serials.
He has also written books and articles under several pen-names such as Nillohit, Sanatan Pathak and Nil Upadhyay.
Awards
Sunil Gangopadhyay has won several awards for his body of works. These include:
Year | Award | Book/Category |
|---|---|---|
1972 | Ananda Puroshkar | General Category |
1979 | Akashbani Kolkata | National Poet Honour |
1983 | Bankim Puroshkar | Sei Somoy |
1984 | Sahitya Akademi Award | Sei Somoy |
1989 | Ananda Puroshkar | Purba Pashchim |
1999 | Annada-Snowcem puroskar | Nil Lohiter Golpo |
2003 | Annada Shankar Puroshkar | General Category |
2004 | Saraswati Samman | Prothom Alo |
2011 | Hindu Literary Prize | The Fakir (Moner Manush) |
2012 | Star Ananda Sera Bangali | Lifetime Achievement Award |
Honors & Posts
Sunil Gangopadhyay was elected the Vice President of the Indian Sahitya Akademi from 2003 – 2008 and then elected as President serving from 2008 up until his death in 2012.
Sunil Gangopadhyay was awarded an Honorary D. Litt from the University of Burdwan in XX
Sunil Gangopadhyay was given the honorary title of “Sheriff of Kolkata” in 2002.
In 2022, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation re-named Mandeville Gardens (the street where he resided) to Katha Sahityik Sunil Gangopadhyay Sarani.
Sunil along with several other luminaries and friends formed an organization called Budh Shandhya. Initially meant as a hang-out, the group soon turned to charitable acts by raising money to support a cancer hospital. The money was raised by staging plays that were performed for the general public. Sunil served as the secretary and later on. as the president of this organization
Fun Facts
Sunil Gangopadhyay was invited to a writers residency program at the University of Iowa in 1963 and spent a year there. He was subsequently re-invited there in 1981.
Sunil Gangopadhyay is so intertwined with his alter-ego of Nillohit that a Google search of Nillohit will bring up information on Sunil Gangopadhyay.
He befriended the American poet Allen Ginsberg during the latter's travel to India. Ginsberg mentioned Gangopadhyay in his poem "September on Jessore Road." Gangopadhyay in return mentioned Ginsberg in some of his prose work.
Sunil has been feted on a “transformer” painting in College Street, which is the largest book market in Asia and the largest secondhand book market in the world.
Sunil and Swati has a joint CD release of Rabindra Sangeet songs.
Sunil's neighbor in Shantiniketan , the singer Arghya Sen, requested that Sunil write the name of his house so that he could copy the inscription and install it at the gate of his house. He did not allow Sunil to choose a name, it had to be his choice.
